1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to storing data and, more particularly, to a system for holding, storing and transporting library media.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,356 discloses a data cartridge library with rotating storage stacks. Bulk carriers can be removably mounted in the rotatable stacks. Qualstar sells a TLS-8222 tape library which allows swapping out of LTO cartridges with a stack of cartridges held by a tape magazine. The Qualstar tape magazine does not comprise a snap on lid that adequately secures the tapes into the tape magazine. A user must use caution when using the magazine such that the tapes do not fall out. The Qualstar tape magazine does not efficiently stack with other tape magazines, and is not designed to be used to store tape cartridges for long periods of time. The Qualstar tape magazine is not designed to be used to ship tape cartridges. The Qualstar tape magazine does not provide long-term protection against contaminants. The Qualstar tape magazine does not encourage a user to store the media in a desired vertical position.
There exists a problem in that the there is a lack of a mechanism for housing pieces of media used in a library, such as a tape cartridge library, in a single container for either storage and/or transport. There is no existing way to move more than one piece of media at a time between a storage location and a use location in a library. Currently, if a user wishes to store and/or transport several pieces of media, the user must do so with a loose stack of individually packaged pieces of media in their individual protective jewel cases. There is a desire to provide a container for multiple pieces of storage media, such as tape cartridges, which will serve as an array of cells in a library and, after a protective cap is placed onto the container, covering the pieces of media inside. There is a desire to transport and store pieces of media without the use of individual jewel cases. There is a desire to decrease time to transport multiple pieces of storage media. There is a desire to decrease exposure to mishandling and damage to media during transport and/or storage. There is a desire to protect media for transport and storage as a group; rather than individually. There is a desire for a storage system which can orientate pieces of media in a desired storage orientation for longevity of the stored data in the media.